"Mature" Stallworth happy to be back

"Mature" Stallworth happy to be back

FOXBORO -- This will be Donte' Stallworth's 10th season in the NFL. If he makes the final roster, it will be his second season with the New England Patriots.

Since his last stint with the Pats in 2007-08, he's played for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and last year, the Washington Redskins.

Amidst those three seasons, Stallworth found himself in some off-the-field trouble, after a DUI manslaughter charge in March of 2009 led to a suspension during the 2009-10 NFL season.

So standing in a Patriots uniform again, three years after that suspension, talking to reporters, he said he never truly believed his career would be over. But he certainly feels grateful to not just be back in the league still, but to also be back in a place he called home before the suspension.

"I always try to keep positive the best I can," said Stallworth after Friday's training camp session. "So, that never really honestly crossed my mind at the time. But now, looking back on it, knowing how blessed I am to still being here doing what I love to do, and being around the fellas, is truly a blessing."

Before Friday's session, Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised how much the veteran receiver has matured. And even Stallworth agrees. He's a different person and player.

"I know I've matured as a player, matured as a person," said Stallworth. "I'm a lot smarter now than I was then. I think more so, when I was back here at the age of 26, I was more so playing off of talent. And now I've kind of developed into a smarter player, a better route runner, and things like that."

Belichick also praised Stallworth's leadership, and while Stallworth doesn't look at himself as a captain, he does sound like a guy who the younger Patriots can certainly learn from.

"I really don't think of myself like that," he said. "I just try to go out and help out the young guys as much as I can, because I was once that guy. And anything that I see from the younger guys that they might not notice that they're doing, I try to pull them to the side and tell them some things here and there. But mainly, I just try to do the things that I've learned throughout my career.

"When I was back here in '07, it was my fifth or sixth year in the league, and I was still one of the youngest players on the team. Vrabel, Bruschi, Rodney, T-Brown, all those guys, Randy, all those guys, they were super veterans, and I was just a veteran at the time. Throughout my career, I've picked up a lot of things, learned a lot from those guys, and now that I'm here, I'm in my 10th year, and I try to help out the younger guys as well, the way that those guys helped me out along the way."

Stallworth's biggest piece of advice to the younger players, he said, is to take advantage of every opportunity given to them. And now, in his 10th year in the league, he's ready to try and take advantage of another opportunity with the Patriots.

"Any time you can come back to a great organization like this -- great fans, great people here in the city -- it's always a plus," said Stallworth. "And there was no doubt in my mind that, if they would ever welcome me the opportunity to come back, I'd jump at the opportunity."

Stallworth isn't trying to hide the fact that he's familiar with the Patriots' system. He is. But he does admit that the offense has indeed "evolved" over time, since he was last here.

"I think it's evolved, because when Josh McDaniels left, they incorporated some things while he was gone," said Stallworth. "And now that he's back, he's also incorporated some of the things that he brought back with him, that he didn't do when he was here the last time.

"That's what the spring was for. We were trying to string some things together. And here in training camp now, I think it's pretty much the same thing. That's what training camp is for. You put in a lot of stuff, and you see what sticks. You do what you do best, and you try to work on that as much as you can."

He'll work on that with Tom Brady, a quarterback and a friend to Stallworth.

"Even aside of football, I've known Tom even before I came here the first time," said Stallworth. "And we've kept in touch throughout the years. Just being in this offense before, it's really helped me, being here in the spring, being able to pick back up on some of the terminology and some of the plays. Right now, I'm just trying to string them together. So far, so good. But, there are going to be some times where it reaches some adversity on offense. And we've just got to fight through it."

But as close as the two are, and as familiar as Stallworth is with the Patriots' offense, even he knows how many talented receivers are currently on the roster, just two days into training camp. But he also knows it's a long grind. But he's ready for the battle.

"I think we have an opportunity to play really well this year," said Stallworth. "But we're a long ways from that. The training camp, or the dog days every day, the groundhog day, we have to keep stringing them together.

"We're all pulling for each other, and however things shake out at the end, that's the name of the game."

He didn’t land in New England, but he didn’t too badly, winding up with the usually competitive Ravens.

On a Thursday conference call with New England media, Weddle confirmed that there was mutual interest expressed.

“Obviously, I was interested,” he acknowledged. “I have nothing but high regard, respect and admiration – and envy, quite honestly – of the success of the New England Patriots over the years. Obviously, battling them in my career, it’s always been a great game. I love the way they play, love the foundation, love everything about it. It was definitely on my radar. There were talks both ways, it just didn’t end up [working out].”

The numbers massed at the position with Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty and Duron Harmon played a role in the two sides not being able to reach accord, according to Weddle.

“I’m good buddies with Patrick Chung,” he said. “I grew up playing with him and Devin [McCourty] is one of the best to play, so I don’t know if it would have worked out personnel-wise. But obviously, I could have seen myself fitting in there seamlessly.”

Weddle’s New England attraction apparently wasn’t love that bloomed late in his career. Toward the end of his conference call, Weddle said, “I’m still wondering why they just didn’t draft me in ’07; I could have been still playing there now.”

As reporters puzzled for a moment trying to recall the 2007 first-rounder, Weddle chipped in with the answer: “[They took] Brandon Meriweather.”

More importantly around here, the Patriots now are in position to win out and claim the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

Prior to the Raiders loss, Oakland would have been the top seed if both they and the Patriots won out. Now, the 10-2 Patriots have a leg up on the rest of the conference. The Raiders’ road stays tough. They are at San Diego and Denver and host the Colts.

The Chiefs have a more favorable close to the season with home games against Tennessee and Denver before their season finale at San Diego.

The Patriots’ road over the final four is no picnic though, beginning with the Ravens and at Denver before the last two hosting the Jets and traveling to Miami.